Melinda's Musings

Check it out!

2011-01-25T06:26:00.000-08:00

Check out my new blog.....

www.simplyinked-melinda.blogspot.com

Cake anyone?

2011-01-20T12:40:00.001-08:00

It's a box!

I found this adorable cake box template and thought it would be great for some Valentine candies. It's so easy you could make a bunch and build a whole cake! Wouldn't that make a cute centerpiece?

We'll be "baking" this cake in my Lovely Little Packages class at Clare's Keepsake and Scrapbook Cove on Saturday, February 5. You'll even get the "recipe" (ie, template) to make this little cake at home.

New Blog!

2011-01-17T12:19:00.000-08:00

Check out my new blog called Simply Inked.

Here's the link: www.simplyinked-melinda.blogspot.com

See you there!

Love is in the air

2011-01-12T06:55:00.001-08:00

Please meet Mallory. She looks a little perplexed.

I've been working on cards for my Rosie Valentine Card classes at Angela's Happy Stamper and Clare's Keepsake and Scrapbook Cove. Little Mallory is just one of the whimsical stamps from Rosies Roadshow. I just love their ducks and especially the sentiments.

All Is Calm

2010-12-29T12:07:00.001-08:00

This is one of the Christmas cards I gave this year. I wanted something soothing and simple, but of course, I had to add some glitter too!

Holly Jolly Christmas

2010-12-22T11:08:00.001-08:00

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!

Chilly!

2010-12-13T12:06:00.000-08:00

We had our first snow today in Northern Virginia so I thought this snowy card would be appropriate mark the ocassion.

2011 Already?

2010-12-06T12:24:00.000-08:00

I just can't believe it's almost 2011! I guess I'm getting old, but 2000-2010 went way too fast for me. These pictures show the box and stand for my 2011 calendar class. I'll be teaching this class at Angela's this Sunday (12/12).

Simple Card

2010-12-03T11:23:00.001-08:00

I think Vine Border was one of the best stamp purchases I've ever made. I've used it for elegant wedding cards, spring cards, Halloween, Fall and now I'm using it for this holiday card. In this card I interspersed snowflakes into the border and I think the vine helps to ground the sentiment. Next up for the Vine Border is Valentine's Day!

Birch trees

2010-11-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

Now that Halloween is over I thought I would share some Fall cards. This card the birch trees. I used Memento Potter's Clay and Desert Sand for the trees. The leaves are on the side of the stamp so you can put them anywhere...very cool.

A Treat for you

2010-10-28T13:17:00.001-07:00

Here's a fun little matchbox treat holder! It's so easy to make and it can hold candy corn or those bite size candy bars. Mmmmm.....excuse me while I raid the Halloween candy dish.

Open If You Dare

2010-10-27T12:16:00.001-07:00

This is another simple Halloween card. I was trying to create the look of moss with my Copic markers and I think I did it. I colored the tombstones with gray and then splotched on Pale Olive. It didn't work too well so I went over the olive with the Colorless Blender making little circles. Voila! It worked (I think).

Versatility

2010-10-25T11:37:00.001-07:00

I love to use stamps in unexpected ways. On this card I created a spooky scene with some stamps I wouldn't have normally used for Halloween. The sofa and lamp are old favorites that I've used in many different ways, but who would expect to see a rat sitting on the sofa, or a spider hanging from the lamp?

Hanging around again

2010-10-21T14:21:00.001-07:00

Here's another hanger! We'll be making this and the Thankful hanger at Create It Crafts this Sunday.

Another Tricky card

2010-09-28T10:21:00.001-07:00

When I was thinking of designs for my Tricks and Treats class I decided I would try a waterfall card. I know this is an old idea, but it was the first time I've tried it. It always looked complicated, but it's really easy once I got the basic measurements.

Tricky!

2010-09-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

I'm teaching a class this Sunday at Angela's called Tricks and Treats. We'll be making some "tricky" interactive cards and some Halloween treat holders. This hinge card was so fun to make I think I'll be using hinges more often!

I have some hang-ups...

2010-08-09T06:42:00.000-07:00

I shudder when I think of lima beans.

Clowns make me very nervous.

Socks that are inside out make me crazy.

Oh.....too much information?

Well, here are some hang-ups you may like. These are the hangers we'll be making in my Holiday Hangers class at Angela's Happy Stamper. You have your choice of Wicked or Thankful, but the class is long enough so just buy both and make them on Sunday, August 22. Fun!

Falling Leaves

2010-08-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

It's still summer, but my head is already thinking about Fall. This card was one of my A Muse-a-Palooza class cards. The tree branch is definitely one of my favorite new stamps.

A Muse Bouche Baby!

2010-07-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

This little snow baby is part of one of the new stamps. Snow baby actually has a birdie friend, but I didn't use him in this card. I love how this little guy is floating amidst the snowflakes.

Falling for A Muse

2010-07-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

As part of A Muse*A*Palooza week at Angela's Happy Stamper I'll be teaching 4 fun classes. The first class (tomorrow evening) is called Falling for A Muse. This class will feature some of the newest A Muse stamps as well as some old favorites. This card features some of the older stamps that are perfect for Fall.

Stay tuned for more card creations this week!

Crabby shabby....

2010-06-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

I have been a little crabby lately, but this little guy always cheers me up. You're probably wondering where the shabby is. My version of shabby is the loose and imperfectly cut panels behind the crabs. I tried (I really did!) to scuff it up and not be concerned with straight lines and perfect placement. I guess I'm not very good at it, but I like the card anyway.

Sailing away....

2010-05-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

I've never been sailing, but this little boat makes me want to give it a try. I stamped, colored, and cut out the boat so it could be inserted into the waves. Life's a breeze was the perfect sentiment and I just had to use the new cloud paper!

This is one of the 10 cards we'll be making in my Life's a Beach! class at Angela's Happy Stamper and Create It Crafts. Can't wait!

Simply Rosy

2010-04-30T06:38:00.001-07:00

Have you seen all the beautiful cards from the Creative Team? I've been so inspired by their designs. I didn't have much time this week, but I just had to pop in and show one of mine. I decided to make it simple (think simple, think A Muse right?). The new release, called Everything's Rosy, is just perfect for simple cards. On this card I used the new Bare Branch with leaves. The little leaves are on the side of the wood block so it's easy to add them where you want. I also use the new sentiment which I think is going to be another "go to" stamp for me. And then, of course, I had to use the new watermelon paper! It's so pretty I just want to lick it (mmm....).

Happy Happy

2010-04-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday A Muse! I case you didn't know, it's A Muse's 9th birthday. Check out all the incredible birthday cards by the Creative Team here.

Thanks

2010-04-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks for hanging in with me.

It's been way too long

2010-04-19T12:56:00.000-07:00

I know, I've been away far too long. My life has been moving much too fast. I just couldn't even find the time to stop in and say hello! I hope you'll forgive me. :(

Here's a little springtime gatefold card I recently made for a class (Fun Folds). Sometimes I get so locked into the typical folding cards that I forget about all the fun ways you can add a little spark to a card. Does that happen to you? I hope I'm not the only one.

I promise to check in again soon! I'm working on some summer/beach cards for my upcoming Life's a Beach class. I *heart* the A Muse beach images so much that we'll be making 10 cards in this class. I just couldn't help myself.....

True Blue

2010-02-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

Little Moby is perfect for coloring. Here I used Prismacolor pencils to give him some shading. This card will be part of my upcoming Color My World class at Clare's Keepsake and Scrapbook Cove, Angela's Happy Stamper and Create It Crafts. Check out the dates and times under Upcoming Classes. If you're in Virginia, Delaware or Maryland I love to see you!

Sprinkles

2010-02-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a simple card we'll be making in this weekend's Sweet Valentine Wishes class at Clare's Keepsake and Scrapbook Cove. We had to re-schedule to this Sunday, Feb. 14 due to the snow. I can't wait to meet new A Muse fans!

Splash

2010-01-08T09:53:00.001-08:00

As I was designing cards with the new A Muse Sea of Love stamps I was reminded of some of my other favorite "sea" related stamps. The mermaid and tiny crab are always fun to use and the eucalyptus is perfect for seaweed. This card reminds me of the love story in the movie "Splash" so I thought it would be perfect for my Sea of Love Valentine class.

I heart cupcakes

2010-01-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

Mmmmm....cupcakes. I love everything about cupcakes. They're perfect little specimens of deliciousness in one cute made-for-one package. I've made a little book about cupcakes and this is the cover. If you like cupcakes as much as I do, I hope you'll come to my Little Book of Cupcakes class on January 17 or January 24.

Did I mention that I like cupcakes?

Elegant Shells

2010-01-04T08:23:00.001-08:00

It's been waaaay to long since I last posted! I kept thinking I should just pop in to say "hello," but life just seemed to get in the way. I hope you've had a wonderful holiday season and that your new year will be just has you hope!

I've got wonderful news! I'll be teaching at a new store called Clare's Keepsake and Scrapbook Cove in Bethany Beach, DE. Check the date (and Clare's website) on my upcoming classes!

Here's a little sneak peek from the new A Muse Sea of Love valentine stamp collection. I'm not sure how "elegant" it is, but I like the monochromatic look to it. Don't forget to check out the elegant cards by the Muses!

Cool Yule!

2009-11-18T12:23:00.002-08:00

This card is featured on the A Muse blog today! I love to make cards with a lot of white space and the retro look is so fun! I took this picture outside and you can really see the pink Shimmer Couture paper I used to layer. Click here to see this card and a wonderful card by Glenda on the A Muse blog.

A Dilly of a Christmas card

2009-11-17T13:14:00.001-08:00

Here's another card that we'll be making in my Simple Holiday Wishes class at Create It Crafts. I thought a class with simple and easy to make (mass produce) cards would be great for early December. I hope I'm not the only one who waits until the last minute to make Christmas cards! I used the "Dill" stamp to create the "foliage" on this card. So versatile.

And speaking of fast cards....have you seen the Fast and Fabulous cards on the A Muse blog? They're just beautiful and so easy to make. Everyone will think you spent hours on these cards, but they really take minutes. Gotta love that!
Keep an eye out. You might see a "certain person's" design soon.

2009-11-11T12:15:00.000-08:00

We're also making this ornament in my Holiday Home class this

Sunday. I used a metal tin with a clear top to make it. Doesn't it look like you're looking througha frosty window? This actually happened by mistake. I was going to attach something to the front with a glue stick, but it didn't work so I just dumped loose glitter over it. I love it when a mistake works out like this!

2009-11-10T06:50:00.000-08:00

This little tablescape was so fun to make! I loved using different shades of blue to give it a wintery feel. The stamping around the edges of the two end panels is the "Dill" stamp, but I think it gives it an "icy" look. Don't you love it when you can use a stamp in different ways? This tablescape is part of my Holiday Home class this Sunday (11/15) at Angela's Happy Stamper.

Old favorite

2009-10-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

This "leafy tree" stamp is an old favorite of mine. I would probably count this one in my Top 10 A Muse stamps. I've colored the leaves, used glitter, stamped hearts all over it, and this time I used Flower Soft "Autumn" and some orange gliter glue to give it a little sparkle. I think this image is perfect for Flower Soft. I can't wait to use it in the spring with some of the pastel shades!

On Friday I'm flying to Seattle and you know where I'll be!

A Muse Bouche-Inspired

2009-10-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

This "dill" stamp is so great. I can see this used for winter, spring and summer cards. For this fall themed design I was inspired by this. I stamped the dill with 4 different colors, and although its hard to see, I scattered Latte and Chocolate pearls.

Another appetizer

2009-10-15T07:47:00.001-07:00

Here's another appetizer for you. This one uses the new open chrysthanemum, leaf fron and Thank you for everything. It's very simple, but the image is just lovely.

Did you know that A Muse is having a give-away on each sneak peek day? Today the winner gets all 5 (yes, 5) of the new clear sets. Just go to the A Muse News Blog Post and make a comment. You could be the winner!

Amuse Bouche

2009-10-12T07:06:00.001-07:00

It's time for an appetizer! The new A Muse "Stationery" release (coming soon) is just beautiful. The images are so elegant and the Pretty Pearls and Shimmer Couture papers are to die for.

On this card I used the Oak leaves and this great Autumn sentiment. It's a little difficult to tell, but I layered the image with the new Espresso shimmer paper. The pearls are called chocolate. Mmmm....chocolate.

Frightful?

2009-10-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

Well, probably not, but I do think it's kinda cute. This card uses some old (dot, tiny cat and frightful and delightful) with the new (paprika notecard, tree and orange twinkle stickers). I love mixing the old standbys with the new.

I'd like to give a big shout-out to my students at Angela's Happy Stamper and Create It Crafts. I love making Halloween cards and you've been great enablers (in a good way ) by putting up with so many Halloween classes. And there's still more! The Hallowen Hanger is coming up on October 18 at Angela's. I hope I'll see you there.

Vintage Halloween

2009-09-16T11:03:00.001-07:00

I really liked the damask stamp when I first saw it, but I wasn't really sure how much I would use it. Was I wrong! I love this stamp for all sorts of cards and, as you can see, it even works for Halloween! With the vintage black cardstock and the scallop border I think it gives this card an elegant vintage-y look.

Stamping up a storm

2009-09-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was stamping up a storm. Well, at least it was a storm for me. I made 5 new halloween cards in two days. I know there are some people who can do that in a couple hours of stamping, but this is A LOT for me. This is one of the cards I made. My first thought was to try to make a card with the Witch crashing against a tree, but several of the A Muse Creative Team ladies have done that, and they did a much better job than I ever could soo....I made her into "patterned" paper by stamping her a bunch of times. And then, of course, I had to use "best witches" as the sentiment. I could have colored each one, but I kinda like the black and white (with some hints of orange) motif. What do you think?

More Treats

2009-09-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a little candy tube for my Tricks and Treats class at Angela's Happy Stamper. This little tube would be great filled with M&Ms, but I just had to use the candy corn stamp so candy corn it is!

Remember this little box? Last December the A Muse Creative Team made

boxes for each day of Advent. They're so fun and easy. This is another Treat box for my class.

Black Cats Prowl

2009-09-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

The new "Cat on a fence" stamp is just adorable. He may be out on Halloween, but he's not going to scare anyone. I added the "Tiny pumpkin" on the fence to reflect the sentiment. You can't see it here, but the moon is all sparkly and the pumpkin does actually gleam!

Ya know, with some clever masking this little cat could stand alone! Hmm....giving me ideas.

I had fun...

2009-09-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

...making this Halloween hanger. This is for upcoming classes at Angela's and Create It Crafts, but I really made it for me! I think I might hang it on my office door. Click on the picture to see a bigger version.

What a treat!

2009-09-04T10:24:00.001-07:00

Isn't this the cutest container? Angela's Happy Stamper just got some fun new Accu-cut dies. This is the french fry container and I just had to use it for my upcoming Tricks and Treats class. This little box would be a great little gift filled with candy or other little treats.

Swimming with the fishes....

2009-07-24T10:38:00.001-07:00

Isn't this diver fun! This is another card from my Summer Fun! class.

Have a great weekend!

Summer Fun!

2009-07-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

I loved designing and teaching Christmas and Winter cards, but I'm glad to be back to summer again. I love, love, love the new summer stamps so I just had to have one more class using these adorable images. I've never surfed, but this surfboard is so cool it almost makes me want to "hang ten."

As soon as I saw the alligator I knew I wanted to have him peeking along the top of the water. It took me a while to figure this one out (I never said I was smart), but I think I finally got what I wanted.

These two cards are part of my upcoming Summer Fun! class at Angela's on Sunday, August 2. I hope to see you there!

So Fun!

2009-07-20T07:19:00.001-07:00

Well, A Muse-a-Palooza is over! Did everyone have fun? The challenges on the A Muse website were great. There sure are some talented ladies out there!

I didn't have much time to play along for the challenges, but I had a blast teaching classes at Angela's Happy Stamper and Create It Crafts. It was a long week, but so worth it. I'd like to send a BIG thank you to all the ladies that participated in my classes. You're the best!

This card was one of my favorites. I think the "wreath with berries" is one of my favorite new stamps. I think this stamp might just pop up in one of my fall classes (wink!).

Stay tuned. Tomorrow I'll be showing some new cards from my Summer Fun! class at Angela's Happy Stamper (Sunday, August 2).

Cool Neighborhood Yule

2009-07-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Here's another little appetizer for you. These little houses are going to be used a lot. I think I might even be able to use them at other times of the year too!

Hope you're having a cool A Muse-a-palooza!

Let it Snow

2009-07-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

Here's another A Muse Bouche for you. The new floral snowflake is just beautiful so I had to feature it on this card. And the new Navy notecards are great. I'm not a big blue person, but I fell in love with these. My poor students will be seeing a lot of blue from now on.

A Muse Bouche

2009-07-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

I'm loving all the nature images in the A Muse-a-palooza release! And the sentiment stamps are fantastic. This little peek is part of my Christmas Wishes class. Click on the card and you'll see all the sparkly goodness!

I want to give a shout out to the ladies at Create It Crafts! We had a great time this past weekend playing with all the new stamps. Thanks Kim for hosting a great kick-off to A Muse-a-palooza.

I'm looking forward to more fun at Angela's Happy Stamper. I'll be teaching this card (and others, of course) on Thursday night. Then, on Saturday we have a full day of Christmas fun!

June Brides

2009-06-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

This month I'm teaching a class toward Brides and Babies. This is one of the cards in that class. I love to use black with just about any color. It just seems to add a touch of class.

A Muse Bouche

2009-05-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Have you seen all the fun "appetizers" on the A Muse website? And what about all the delightful designs from the Creative Team? I almost didn't want to show my little card. I wanted to keep this card very simple, but I couldn't resist a little bling. Notice the "bubbles" and the sparkly starfish.

I "heart" you Snorkel Boy!!!!

Mr. and Mrs.

2009-05-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

It's so difficult to take a photo of a shimmery card. This picture doesn't do it justice, but it's the best I could do for now.

People have asked if the background is decorative paper. That was just the effect I was hoping to get! I created the background by randomly stamping the new vine border and (the old) tiny daisy.

This card is part of my upcoming Brides and Babies class.

Late for the party

2009-05-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late for the party, but I hope you've started to celebrate. It's A Muse's 8th Anniversary and it's Great to be 8! Check out the A Muse website. There's are some fun challenges and adoreable card designs. You might even win a prize.

In honor of their 8th anniversary A Muse has created a great frame clear stamp set. These frames are so versatile! I can't wait to see what the Creative Team has come up with.

Love these colors....

2009-04-30T12:16:00.001-07:00

I've decided that I really like this color combination of brown, green and blue. In this version it's Robin's Egg Blue, Sage, and French Roast. I've used Lime Peel, Surf (now Robin's Egg Blue) and Bark for an even brighter effect, but I like the more subtle hues for this.

Elegant Lily

2009-04-28T07:44:00.001-07:00

Just a little something since I haven't posted in a while. I'll have a few more soon. I promise!

Envelope Card

2009-04-03T14:02:00.001-07:00

Here's a fun envelope card I made for an upcoming class. The stamped piece is an insert that comes out. It's hard to see here, but the little stamped flowers look great on the green argyle paper.

Zinnia Blooms

2009-03-26T08:50:00.001-07:00

Here's another card using the Solid Zinnia and Open Zinnia. The card base is the new Blush Pink 4 Bar. It's a beautiful soft pink that doesn't show up on this photo.

A Bolder Look

2009-03-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

I have so many ideas for the Modern Poppy! This one is a slightly bolder look. I love the red and orange combo and I had thought about layering a red piece and putting it on an orange card, but this was my first try. It's a little difficult to see, but I also use the new Long Grass.

Stay tuned for more Amuse Bouches.

Amuse Bouche

2009-03-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a little appetizer from the new A Muse Love Blooms collection. This branch is called Blossom Branch with Bird. The "with bird" is actually a single bird mounted on the side of the stamp. So cool! I can't wait to use him all the time. Check out the other yummy appetizers from the A Muse Creative Team!

I'll be using the new florals in my upcoming April classes called Blossoms and Buds. I hope to see you there!

Is it Spring yet?

2009-03-03T09:08:00.000-08:00

I've been asked to teach a flower/garden themed card class for my church's Women's Retreat. This is one of the cards I made yesterday. It was a snow day. It was kind of strange making a springtime card in the middle of a snow storm.

Another awww....

2009-02-24T13:37:00.001-08:00

Here's another cutie!

Awwww....

2009-02-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

Isn't this bunny cute? This card is featured in my Spring Has Sprung class. He's one of the newest A Muse stamps from their Spring It On collection. I just love him. The carrots are made from a little punch that I've been dying to use again. I punched them from white paper and colored them with my Copics. Love it!!

The true turtle revealed....

2009-02-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

Here's the real little turtle.....a super hero!

Poor little turtle...

2009-02-12T08:39:00.001-08:00

I guess for turtles all roads are long. And, poor little turtle is not very happy.

I couldn't help myself

2009-02-11T13:14:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have an idea in your head and it won't go away until you put in on paper? This is what happened to me when I saw the new A Muse turtle! Poor little turtle. I keep visualizing him in all kinds of predicaments. Stay tuned for some more tricky turtle cards!

Cherry on Top

2009-02-10T11:52:00.000-08:00

Ice cream sodas....yummm! Every summer we rented a house at the shore (that's the beach to non-Jerseyites!). Just down the block there was a little corner store with a soda fountain. My Mom would take me there as a special treat. I think she secretly just wanted one for herself and I was just her cover!

I'm looking forward to all the ways I'll be using this stamp. Its definitely not just for Valentine's Day!

Truly, madly, deeply

2009-01-16T14:08:00.000-08:00

Here's another Valentines card for your sweetheart. The heart is punched and cover in luscious pink glitter that doesn't show up well here. The glittery embellishment around the heart is one of the leave from the Leaves Clear Set. I was looking for something "flowy" and this did the trick!

Heart Melt

2009-01-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

Here's a sweet treat for Valentines Day. I love this sentiment, and when I saw the new A Muse Swirly Cone I knew they would be perfect together. I added a few "melting" heart twinkle stickers to the ice cream to add to the effect.

Did you know that there's a new place to go for "all things A Muse?" If you love A Muse as much as I do you NEED to check out the new A Muse Lounge. You get to chat with other A Muse fans, learn the latest info, and see great card designs! Just go to the A Muse website and click on Lounge. I hope I'll see you there!

Finally a sneak!

2009-01-05T12:43:00.001-08:00

Here's a sneak peek at some of the new A Muse Valentine stamps. The love birds and the saying are so cute. The birds are together on one stamp, but you can easily ink them separately. Check out some of the cute designs from the A Muse Creative Team! On this card I also used the "Tree" stamp. I just love to use the branches on this stamp. In fact, now that I think about it I don't know if I've ever use the whole tree! I inked the leaves with a pink pigment ink (ColorBox-Rosebud) and quickly applied A Muse Simple Stick. Once I heated it I sprinkled ultra fine glitter. IRL the leaves are very sparkly!

A Candy Cane a Day....

2008-12-24T07:26:00.000-08:00

Here's what's inside my advent box. Since I had a candy cane box I guess this is pretty obvious. You can't see from yesterdays post on the A Muse blog, but the side of the box is stamped with "A candy cane a day keeps Santa on his way." I'm hoping that's true. I've been eating a lot of candy canes!

Got Trees?

2008-12-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

I found this card in my stash and decided to post it for you. It's from a couple years ago. Even though the brownstone on the right is levitating a little I still like this design. I liked it so much I sent it in to Take Ten (a better sample of course) and they published it!

Check out tomorrow's post on the A Muse blog. If you've been following along, the A Muse Creative team has been making little advent boxes. My is coming up tomorrow. Woohoo!

Here's Two!

2008-12-12T15:17:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of Christmas designs! Enjoy!

If I give you a present?

2008-12-11T13:26:00.001-08:00

.....will you come back and look at my blog? I know I've been away much too long. I really don't know what happened, but the time just got away from me. I knew it was time to post again when my friends started making comments.

Well, I'm finally back and I promise I'll post more often.

Here's a card we made in one of my Christmas Wishes classes. I thought this shopper would work perfectly with the "visa" sentiment. It's a little difficult to see, but the packages for the middle shopper are popped. I also used coordinating glitter glue for each shopper.

See you soon (I hope)!

Way too long!

2008-10-20T12:07:00.001-07:00

I didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted! I have so much going on right now...I guess "life" just got in the way!

I'm working on some cards for my upcoming classes, so as I finish them I thought I would post a few. This card is for my Elegant Christmas class at Angela's Happy Stamper (Nov. 23). This shot doesn't show it very well, but it's very ***sparkly**** IRL. I stamped the tree (on this card I made it branches) with grey Versafine, outlined it with a Quicky Glue Pen, and used ultra fine glitter.

I hope to be better at posting cards. Come back soon!

Go Pink!!!!

2008-10-03T13:41:00.001-07:00

This weekend the 3Day Walk for the Cure is going on in Washington, DC. Hundreds (thousands?) of women and men are participating in this joyous and (I'm told) life altering event. Alicia (center) is a colleague from our Memphis who is a 3 year survivor. Our staff here in Falls Church decided to go and support her and her friends! I thought I was going to give support, but I think I really got more out of it! These women (and men too) are just incredible, whether they are survivors or supporters. They have so much joy, energy and determination it brought tears to my eyes. All I could do was thank them for their courage.

As we waited for Alicia and her friends to walk by, I heard someone call my name. It was Tami McVey a customer and friend from Angela's Happy Stamper! It was such a wonderful surprise that all Icould do was give her a hug. I wish I had been able to take a picture with her.

These wonderful people will be walking 60 miles over the next few days. Go Tami!!! Go Alicia!!!

So many Trees.....

2008-09-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

A Muse has two (!) new clear sets called Trees 1 and Trees 2 and they are so cool! These trees are just two of the many different designs. I gave them an autumnal look, but they work for any season. This card is one of the designs from my Give Thanks class.

Here's a fun trick. If you want your embellishments to match your card colors, you can color them with Copics. This works particulary well on ribbon or the flowers on this card.

A Little Something...

2008-09-22T15:45:00.001-07:00

...for the first day of Fall. I just got this scarecrow image and he is so perfect for fall cards! The foliage (from the Nature clear set) reminds me of cornstalks. What do you think?

Am I pushing it?

2008-09-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

Summer isn't even over and I'm wishing for Fall. I just can't help it. Fall is my favorite time of year. The air is crisp and clear and I feel invigorated after the heat of summer. Even though I'm a looong way from my school years, I still think of Fall as a time of beginnings.

This card, featuring the new pumpkin stack stamp, reminds me of special times when I was young. I would always look forward to getting that one "perfect" pumpkin for Halloween!

This card is also featured in my upcoming "Fall" ing for A Muse classes at Create It Crafts (Sept. 14) and Angela's Happy Stamper (Oct. 4).

I hope I'll see you there!

Birds of a feather....

2008-09-08T08:56:00.001-07:00

I was browsing the A Muse Blog and saw Becky's card using the naked tree, solid bird and dot. Here's mine. I think we must have been on the same wavelength when we created our cards. I love being on the same wavelength as Becky. I'm not so sure how she feels about it ; ).

This card is part of my "FAll" ing for A Muse class that I'm teaching at Create It Crafts this Sunday. Check out some of the others on their website. It's not quite fall yet, but I love these colors. There just so warm and cozy looking.

BTW... We had a blast yesterday at Angela's. I'd like to say a big thank you to all the the ladies in my Halloween and Sweet classes. I hope you had as much fun as I did and I'm looking forward to seeing you soon. Maybe in my classes on Saturday, October 4?

All stamps and paper by A Muse Artstamps.

BOO Box

2008-08-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

I'll be off to enjoy the holiday weekend in a few minutes, but I wanted to leave you with a picture of my Halloween BOO Box. We'll be making this and a bunch of creepy tags on Sunday, September 14 at Create It Crafts.

Long weekend

2008-08-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

I'm sooooo looking forward to this long weekend! I'll probably spend it unpacking boxes in my new apartment. There are still a lot of boxes to go through and organize, but I might even have some time to actually decorate. I'm not really looking forward to all this work, but I love that sense of accomplishment when its done.

I hope I'll also have some time to get crafty (you know that area is already set up!). In the meantime, here's a card I made for my Halloween class at Angela's Happy Stamper on Sunday, September 7.

All images, paper and ribbon by A Muse Artstamps.

More Halloween Fun

2008-08-18T14:04:00.001-07:00

This new magician reminds me of "you know who" so I decided to use him along with the new candelabra to "re-create" the dining hall scene at Hogwarts. I masked off the bottom of the candelabra and (hopefully) they look like they're floating in the air. It's a little hard to see in this picture, but I made little dots in the candle flames with a gold stardust pen. It gives the flame a little extra glow. The Spica gold pen would work great too, but I couldn't find mine after my move. I'm thinking this might be a cute invitation for a child's party!

All stamps and papers by A Muse Artstamps.

Want a peek?

2008-08-15T09:56:00.001-07:00

Go to the A Muse website and you'll see a card I made! I'm loving the new Halloween images. I wish I could say I've been busy creating tons of cards, but I moved this week (bad timing, eh?) and just haven't had a lot of time. I'm glad I had a chance to make at least one card before all the moving mayhem!

Wouldn't it be great?

2008-08-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be great if there was a candy store on every corner? Candy just makes me smile and that's when I know "life is good."

All stamps and paper by A Muse Artstamps.

Dog Days

2008-08-01T11:47:00.001-07:00

We are officially in the "Dog Days" of summer. It's been hot and humid all week, and guess what? It's going to be worse next week!

Here's a card that I hope will cool you off. A while ago Linda made a card with the upside down scallop and several different papers for water. Here's my take on that same idea. You can't see it in this picture, but each "wave" is really a pocket. I only adhered the papers on the bottom and side edges. The mermaid is attached to a strip of cardstock so you can move her around. I wish I was that mermaid!

BTW...This card is featured in my H2O class at Create It Crafts on Sunday, August 17.

All stamps and paper by A Muse Artstamps.

A Couple More Cards

2008-07-15T10:50:00.001-07:00

I hope you're not tired of seeing the new stamps from A Muse! Here are two cards we made in the "Naughty or Nice" class during A Muse -A-Palooza. The north pole sign and the sleigh are 2 new woodmount stamps and "there's snow place like home" is from the new Holiday Greetings II clear set.

Phew!!!

2008-07-15T10:22:00.001-07:00

I think I've finally recovered from A Muse-A-Palooza week at Angela's Happy Stamper! It was a blast and I want to thank all the great ladies who attended my classes. I hope you had as much fun as I did. This picture shows our A Muse Grand Prize winner-Deb (on the right)! That's me on the left and the amazing Laura Fulcher peeking out in the middle. Check out Laura's great creations on her blog (see link on the right).

Thanks to Kathy for sending me this picture!

Snowy Peek

2008-07-11T08:53:00.000-07:00

This cute little image is one of the fun stamps designed by Missy Balance. I just love the name-Hippy Snowchick. This is one of the cards in my Whimsical Winter class tomorrow at Angela's Happy Stamper.

Have a great weekend!

Peeking Again

2008-07-10T07:50:00.001-07:00

Here's another peek! The new A Muse "Cityscape" (stamped twice) is the focus of this card. This stamp is so versatile! It's definitely not just for Christmas. This card is featured in my Holiday Sparkle class tonight at Angela's. I'll also be teaching Holiday Sparkle and Merry and Bright during Create It Crafts' "Christmas in July" weekend on July 27th.

We've been having a great time at the A Muse-A-Palooza classes at Angela's! There's still some room in the Saturday classes (and maybe even tonight's class). I hope you can join us for Whimsical Winter in the morning or Naughty or Nice in the afternoon. Even if you can't make it for class, check out the great make and takes today and Saturday.

Another Sneak

2008-07-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

Don't they look cute together? I couldn't resist making the new fawn and dog friends. They both have that whimsical quality that make them perfect together. This card is from my Whimsical Winter class on Saturday, July 12 at Angela's Happy Stamper. I'm looking forward to seeing "deer" friends in class.

All stamps, paper and ribbon by A Muse Artstamps.

Sneak Peek #2

2008-07-08T13:14:00.001-07:00

Here's another A Muse-A-Palooza sneak peek. This is also a card from my Holiday Sparkle class at Angela's Happy Stamper (Thursday).

All stamps, paper and ribbon by A Muse Artstamps.

It's Heeeere!

2008-07-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

Woohoo!!! A Muse-A-Palooza is finally here! I've been busy designing cards and then prepping for my classes this week at Angela's Happy Stamper. All the cards for my classes will be on display today at Angela's. Check them out!

I'm so excited to be able to finally some sneak peeks. This card has the new holiday car and Christmas wishes sentiment. This car was the first one I inked up when I opened my box of stamps. Isn't it just the cutest thing?

Stay tuned for more sneak peeks and don't forget to check out the sneaks by other A Muse Creative Team members.

Sweeeet!

2008-06-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

Here's another card I designed for the A Muse E-mail newsletter. We're returning to our "roots" so to speak, by using some old stamp favorites. This week is the Sundae stamp. Isn't it perfect for summer?

All stamps and paper by A Muse Artstamps.

2008-06-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

Have you been following the A Muse-A-PALOOZA website? There have been so many games and challenges it will make your head spin! It's so much fun seeing all the creations and playing along. I'm bummed right now because I haven't had a chance to play since the color challenge. I've been busy creating cards and "stuff" for my five (!!?!!) classes during A Muse-A-PALOOZA week. The new images are so cute! I wish I could show you some of the cards I've come up with, but I've been sworn to secrecy. :) I guess I'll just have to wait until AP Week (July 7-13). Check out the classes I'll be teaching at Angela's Happy Stamper. If you take 3 or more classes you'll get a special Gift! Woohoo!

I'll also be teaching a "mini" AP at Create It Crafts on Sunday, July 27. I'll be teaching 2 classes there. Keep an eye out for these classes on their website. We just confirmed this yesterday so I haven't even given Debbie and Kim a chance to get it all arranged.

Hopefully I be able to post some cards soon!

Oldie but Goodie

2008-06-20T09:11:00.001-07:00

Have you been looking at the oldie but goodie section of the A Muse Weekly Newsletter? Each week, in addition to a wonderful new Card of the Week (or COW according to Julie), the designers and instructors are showing ideas for some of the older stamps in the A Muse line. This past week the Hula Girl was featured and this is the card I designed. I forgot how much I like this summer favorite! And I love using the pink and orange color combo. You don't get many opportunities to put these two colors together, but I thought it would be perfect for this design. Did you see how I added the little "jiggle" marks to make her hips swing?

Don't forget to check out Create It Crafts in Pasadena, MD. Their grand opening is tomorrow! I'll be teaching two classes there on Sunday.

I hope I see you there!

Happy Trails

2008-06-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

I love the new "happy trails" sentiment! I remember watching the Roy Rogers Show (yes, I'm that old) and Roy and Dale would sing Happy Trails to You at the end of each episode. I can still sing it, but you probably don't want me to. The "hiker" stamp is great too, and I had to use the "ant."

This is one of the cards we'll be making in my class this Saturday at Angela's Happy Stamper. I hope you can come!

Color Challenge

2008-06-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already, you have to go to the A Muse-a-palooza blog! They will be having some fun challenges in the weeks to come. This week's challenge is a Color Challenge so I decided to try my hand at it. The colors to use are Chocolate kitchen, passion (purple) and cabana (blue). Check out the blog for further details. There are prizes! Woohoo.

Melinda's Musings

Check it out!

Cake anyone?

New Blog!

Love is in the air

All Is Calm

Holly Jolly Christmas

Chilly!

2011 Already?

Simple Card

Birch trees

A Treat for you

Open If You Dare

Versatility

Hanging around again

Another Tricky card

Tricky!

I have some hang-ups...

Falling Leaves

A Muse Bouche Baby!

Falling for A Muse

Crabby shabby....

Sailing away....

Simply Rosy

Happy Happy

Thanks

It's been way too long

True Blue

Sprinkles

Splash

I *heart* cupcakes

Elegant Shells

Cool Yule!

A Dilly of a Christmas card

Old favorite

A Muse Bouche-Inspired

Another appetizer

Amuse Bouche

Frightful?

Vintage Halloween

Stamping up a storm

More Treats

Black Cats Prowl

I had fun...

What a treat!

Swimming with the fishes....

Summer Fun!

So Fun!

Cool Neighborhood Yule

Let it Snow

A Muse Bouche

June Brides

A Muse Bouche

Mr. and Mrs.

Late for the party

Love these colors....

Elegant Lily

Envelope Card

Zinnia Blooms

A Bolder Look

Amuse Bouche

Is it Spring yet?

Another awww....

Awwww....

The true turtle revealed....

Poor little turtle...

I couldn't help myself

Cherry on Top

Truly, madly, deeply

Heart Melt

Finally a sneak!

A Candy Cane a Day....

Got Trees?

Here's Two!

If I give you a present?

Way too long!

Go Pink!!!!

So many Trees.....

A Little Something...

Am I pushing it?

I heart cupcakes